stim̓ aspuʔus: What is on your heart? What is your heart telling you?
february 14 - march 16, 2025
main gallery
stim̓ aspuʔus: What is on your heart? What is your heart telling you?
National Indigenous Professional Artist Training Program (NIPAT)
wayʼ x̌ast siɬkʷʕast (hello good day) The En’owkin Centre is pleased to announce our exhibition stim̓ aspuʔus in partnership with the Penticton Art Gallery. As we continue to support our learners in our third year of hybrid programing online and in person training the NIPAT program is excited to share our interdisciplinary works and creations with all the communities in the syilx homelands. It is with great pride and open hearts that we invite you all to join us at our opening Febuary 14th, 2025 with tea and bannock.
As we take into consideration all that is happening around the world and in our communities now more than ever do we need healing energy and generous hearts. As we continue our efforts of revitalization in language, and cultural practices in our Indigenous communities around Turtle Island we are so grateful to have a student body that reflects this diversity in Indigenous communities. Please come and help us celebrate our current learners, invited artists, alumni, faculty, and staff with this exhibition as we reflect on what is important to each one of our hearts. We hope in this winter season that we can inspire reflection and healing. This ongoing partnership with the Penticton Art Gallery reflects our commitment to bringing together many different parts of our communities in the syilx homelands.
2025 Featured Artists:
1st Year NIPAT Artists: Miranda Adams, Amiel Flett-Brown, Chila Louis, Brent Martin, Danny Martinez, Owen Nepoose, Kathleen Norman, Teigan Peterson, Sheldon Steinhauer
2nd Year NIPAT Artists: Jolene Arcand, Amber Cardenas, William Desjarlais, Dejerie Jackson, Sharifah Marsden, Rochelle Nepinak, Mercedes Paluck, Emma Rosette, Teresa Taylor, Denise Tom
2025 Invited Artists and Alumni: Shiana Allison, Francesica Bell, Lee Clairmont, Bracken Hanuse Corlett
NIPAT Faculty/Staff: Cynthia Jim, Geraldine Manossa, Catherine Pierre, Dr. Michelle Jack, Tracey Kim Bonneau
The En’owkin Centre is an Indigenous post-secondary arts and cultural centre located on the Penticton Indian Reserve. En'owkin's unique building design reflects a traditional Okanagan winter home also known as a pit house. It is a gathering place where families and community members can replenish themselves spiritually and is also a teaching place where story, co-operation, craft, and artistry come together. The En'owkin Centre (hereafter referred to as En'owkin) is a dynamic institution, which puts into practice the principles of self-determination and the validation of cultural aspirations and identity. An Indigenous cultural, educational, ecological, and creative arts organization, En'owkin plays a lead role in the development and implementation of Indigenous knowledge and systems, both at the community and international levels. The word En'owkin is an Okanagan concept, which describes a respectful dialogue of clarification, conflict resolution and group commitment, to come to the best solution; essentially, consensus.
The National Indigenous Professional Artist Training Program (NIPAT) is one of many innovative programs housed at En’owkin. This two-year certificate program includes storytelling, performance arts, media arts, painting, sculpture, and installation art. The focus of the National Indigenous Professional Artist Training Program is to protect and preserve Indigenous worldview and arts expressions in traditional heritage utilizing interdisciplinary works with contemporary practice. Professional Indigenous artists are provided with mentorships and the creation space to produce exhibition ready artworks. The NIPAT program was developed to support the learning to "revitalize" traditional art forms into contemporary practice. It is a professional training opportunity that assists the artist to interpret traditional forms of art in today's context. The training consists of these fundamental principles: Research of historical cultural heritage information (Mentoring) Land community culture context: designs, principles (Protocols) Produce new works/cultural products that clearly revitalize a traditional arts practice (Preservation).
~ Written by The En'owkin Centre and Dr. Michelle Jack
